


Take a step back

by hiddendaisy1821



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 05:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6067020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiddendaisy1821/pseuds/hiddendaisy1821
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Sam are in search for the Winter Solder and it is taking a toll on Steve. Sam realizes it's time to take a step back and regroup. He knows only one person that can convince Steve to do so. Post CA:TWS</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take a step back

**Author's Note:**

> As I have cought the Marvel fever I felt the need to try my skills at some Cap fics. Hope this one turned out alright. As usual I own nothing.

The straps felt heavy and the same old, familiar weight of the shield accompanied him. He worried a lot these days, not about himself but the world and where it all was coming to. After the battle of New York, he thought the worst had passed and he would find some semblance of peace, maybe start feeling normal again.

He tried, but he was still a man out of time. He tried to be fine with it all. He tried not to let it bother him as much. His notebook was full. Full of things he didn’t understand and Steve Rogers felt more lost than ever. At least he had Sam at his side to fight the good fight.

They were tracking Bucky all across the globe. Still, all they had managed to find were a couple of glimpses that the man was there. They found a trace in Prague, Kiev and St. Pietersburg. For now that was all and they were growing tired. Sam was growing tired and anxious of it all, he had noticed, but was too stubborn to let it go. 

Bucky needed his help, he was sure of it and he wanted to repay him a debt. He shook his head - he was starting to sound like Romanoff. He needed to save him, like Bucky did all those years ago. There was nothing wrong with reaching out to a friend, but when your friend is man who was part of an experiment that turned him into a ruthless assassin, maybe the rules were different.

He knew that the rest of the world would see it differently but all he saw was his best friend and he needed help. Buck needed help to finally stand on his own in this world as lost he probably was. Steve didn’t want to think what would happen if they crossed paths and he was still the same ruthless murderer. 

They were moving through an abandoned building as their last trail pointed here, yet he and Sam found nothing and after another fruitless search he sat down on the pavement. It was getting to him.

“Look man, you know I follow your lead but maybe it’s time we returned to HQ and regrouped.”

Steve only shook his head in return. No if he went back it would remind him once more how he kept failing Bucky.

“No Sam, we have to go on. Something will come up, I know it.”

Sam looked exasperated. His friend was tired and weary he knew but still he refused to let it go.

“You have to take a step away from this Steve. I’m not telling you to give up. Just to get things in perspective, maybe Hill has some leads that we can explore.”

He looked at his friend and really saw him. Sam was haggard and looked as worn as he felt but he failed to just give up. He knew he was being ridiculous but he needed something to focus on. Still, he didn’t have to drag Sam into this.

“Look Sam, you want to recharge you’re free to do so. I know all of this is not what you had in mind when you left it all behind, but I just can’t let it go. He is my friend.”

Sam, on the other hand, only waved his hand.

“Forget it man, if I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. I just figured we’d be more efficient if we sought outside help. Maybe even call Romanoff.”

He flinched at that, not going there. He only absently nodded along to Sam and returned to his thoughts.

“Look, I’ll go find us a transport and then we will see what is the best thing to do for Bucky and for you.”

“Yeah sure.”

With that Sam was on his way out. He took a moment for himself before getting up and before he could do so his phone rang. It snapped to his attention, because he could count on one hand the number of times it rang since he got the damn thing.

He pulled it out and saw only that the number was unknown. He couldn’t recall who even had his number, let alone who would want to call him.

“Hello?”

“Well that took longer than expected, still not used to operating a phone, old man.”

The familiar voice was on the other end and he felt some of that glum lift from his shoulders.

“Just getting the hang of it Romanoff.”

“Really? I don’t talk to you for a couple of months and already it’s Romanoff, Rogers. I’m hurt. I thought we were friends?”

He laughed at her obvious teasing and leaned back on the concrete wall.

“That we are Nat. I would call, if I knew you had a number or a phone.”

“As much as I like how you would worry about little old me, you know I don’t want you to. I can handle myself and besides you calling me every five minutes like a mother hen is not something I want to experience.”

“Really Nat? Like I would go do that when I know you are finding whatever it is about yourself you left to find.”

He could almost see her smile and really he forgot how nice it was to talk to her. They had been through a lot together but ever since Ultron and his search for Bucky they haven’t managed to stay in contact. He felt regret because of it. 

“Steve, how is the search going, any signs of Bucky?”

The weight was back, but as always he managed to not let it affect him.

“We had a couple of breaks but nothing that panned out. Sam wants to go back and regroup, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Silence lasted on the other side for only a moment before she said, “Steve, you know that Bucky will find you when he is ready. He also needs the time to find out who he is and come to terms with what he’s done.”

He looked up at the old concrete wall that was half covered in mold. How is it that they always end up in a place like this when they chase the past? He was growing tired of it all.

“What if he doesn’t, Nat? What then?”

“You’ll deal with it when that moment comes. Okay?”

He just couldn’t let it go, no matter how much he missed his model home and his friends. Missed her.

“I have some free time between mission, so I’m free and it would be nice to catch up. We could go to the Smithsonian, among your people Steve.”

He laughed at her antics. For a Black Widow, she really was always upbeat. At least when she was with him, but what that meant he didn’t want to think about.

“Come home, Steve.”

Her attentive request almost made him double take. All of his stubborn reasons seemed to vanish in smoke. She could hear the concern and suddenly he felt the need to be there. Because really Sam was right, they needed to regroup. If he got to see Natasha in the process it was just a bonus.

“Okay Nat. I’m coming home.”

He felt like she wanted to say something else but settled for something they were familiar with.

“I’ll see you then. Also, don’t do anything I would Steve.”

A fond smile on his face, because he knew she cared as much as she tried to hide it. They were friends and he felt now more than ever how big of a privilege that really was. 

“I won’t. Take care Nat.”

“You know I do.”

With that she hung up and he felt a bit better about it all. Maybe after all of this Bucky could find a way back and then he would help his friend in one way or another, until that moment comes he will pay attention to his other friends. The ones who have come to matter more than anything else.

Sam was coming back as he waved him over.

“Cap, time to go. I got us some wheels.”

He pushed himself from the wall and joined Sam.

“We’re going home Sam.”

Sam looked surprised as ever.

“Really?”

The relief was palpable on his face and Steve knew he made the right call.

“Yeah.”

As they moved towards the car, Sam asked, “So what changed your mind?”

He opened his mouth to say that Nat had called him, before stopping short. Was that all it took? Somehow that was something he didn’t want to share with Sam, so he settled for telling the other truth.

“You were right. We need to regroup.”

Sam nodded in satisfaction, pleased he managed to persuade his friend in the right direction. Steve let him believe it. As they got into the car and Sam started the car he said, “Also I called Romanoff to talk to you.”

Steve turned towards his friend in surprise but Sam was stubbornly looking at the road with a smirk on his face. Damn him.

“Knew she would set you straight.”

Steve only grumbled in return.

“Shut up.”

Still, it was nice to know that he would see her when he gets back. He was already looking forward to it.

 

 

 


End file.
